基督徒

《愛的四百句箴言》
St. Maximus the confessor著
51至75首

《400 sayings about love》
by St. Maximus the confessor
51 - 75

51、當一個沒有覺性的人，受到情欲的左右而不自知，受到怒氣的鼓動而陷入困境時，
就會因為內心的無知，排擠自己的兄弟，想要與他們分裂。
然而，當他從肉體的欲望中覺醒時，他會悔悟自己的行為，回到兄弟的懷抱中。
然而，一個有覺性的人，在面對上述兩種情形時，就會有完全相反的態度。
在怒氣升起時，他會切斷混亂的根源，使自己從苦惱之中解脫出來，以平靜心面對他的兄弟；
在肉體欲望逼迫之時，他會控制任何不合理的衝動，避免圓滿的關係遭到破壞。
51. When the senseless man who is driven by his passions is moved by anger and becomes troubled, he will be eager to flee foolishly from the brethren. But when again he is aroused by concupiscence, he regrets this and runs back to them. The sensible man does the opposite in both situations. In time of anger he cuts off the causes of disorder and frees himself from grief toward the brethren; in time of concupiscence he controls any irrational impulse and relationship.

52、在我們面臨誘惑時， 不要放棄你身心的修道院，而是要拿出勇氣，抵禦各種思緒的波浪，尤其是憂鬱與頹喪。
以神的旨意，接受苦難的試煉，你將會在上帝身上找到堅定的希望。
然而，如果你遠離上帝的旨意，你就會變成懦弱、心意不堅、墮落的人。
52. In a period of temptations do not abandon your monastery but bear courageously the waves of thoughts, especially those of sadness and discouragement. Being thus tested with tribulations by divine dispensation, you will have a firm hope in God. But if you leave you will be accounted reprobate, unmanly, and unstable.

53、如果你不希望自己遠離神聖的愛，請不要讓你的兄弟，帶著對你的忿怒而就寢，自己也不該帶著對他的不滿而上床。
你應該「先去與你的弟兄復和」， 然後再以清明的良知，在真誠的祈禱中，為基督獻上愛的禮物。
53. If you desire not to fall away from divine love, do not let your brother go to bed with anger against you, nor should you go to bed angry against him. Rather, "go, be reconciled with your brother, and come offer" to Christ with a clear conscience the gift of love in fervent prayer.

54、如果 一個人幾乎得到了聖靈所有恩典，卻沒有得到愛，那麼，他等於是一無所獲，這就如同神聖宗徒的教導一般。
仔細想想，我們必須付出多大的熱情與心力，才能夠得到它啊！
54. If one has all the gifts of the Spirit, but not love, it profits him nothing, as the divine Apostle says. How great a zeal should we show to acquire it!

55、「有愛的人，不以惡念害鄰舍」，如果一個人嫉妒他的兄弟，因兄弟的高貴名聲而悶悶不樂，
或是以嘲弄的話語玷污兄弟的名譽，以任何惡意的計謀來對兄弟，這樣的一個人，要如何對永恆審判負責呢？
要如何才能不遠離愛呢？
55. If "love works no evil to one's neighbor," the one who envies his brother and is unhappy over his good name and smears his reputation with scoffing or in any way maliciously contrives against him, how does he not render himself a stranger to love and liable to eternal judgment ?

56、如果「完全遵循律法就是愛」，那麼，一個嫉妒、詛咒自己的兄弟，又在他面前設下陷阱，
在他遭遇不幸時幸災樂禍的人，最終怎麼可能不變成一個永遠受罰的罪人呢？
56. If "love is the fullness of the law," how can the one who keeps a grudge against his brother and sets a trap for him and curses him and rejoices over his misfortune be anything but a transgressor and liable to eternal punishment?

57、如果「一個人若中傷、批判自己的兄弟，就等於是在中傷、批判律法」，而基督的律法就是 「愛」。
那麼，一個中傷自己兄弟的人，最終怎麼可能不遠離基督的愛呢？
他的中傷最後怎麼可能不成為永遠受苦的源頭呢？
57. If "the one who slanders his brother and judges his brother slanders and judges the law," and the law of Christ is love, how does the slanderer do anything but fall away from the love of Christ and become the cause of his own eternal punishment?

58、不要將你的耳朵，出借給毀謗者的口舌，聽取它對鄰人的詆毀；
也不要將你的 舌頭，出借給喜好是非的耳朵，為它宣傳鄰人的是非。
否則，你將會遠離神性之愛，永遠無法獲致永恆的生命。
58. Do not lend your ear to the slanderer's tongue nor your tongue to the fault-finder's ear by readily speaking or listening to anything against your neighbor. Otherwise you will fall away from divine love and be found excluded from eternal life.

59、我們不該聽任別人羞辱自己的父親，以免上帝因你的行為而發怒，完全摧毀你在人間的生活。
59. Do not allow any abuse of your father or encourage anyone who dishonors him, lest the Lord become angry at your deeds and destroy you utterly from the land of the living.

60、如果有人意欲向你毀謗他人，請務必規勸他「沉默」才是正途，
否則，你將與他成為共犯：因為你讓自己習慣於道德的淪喪，也因為你沒有出面制止他無知的行為，讓他犯下毀謗的錯誤。
60. Silence the one who is slandering in your hearing lest you commit a double sin with him: by accustoming yourself to this deadly vice and by not restraining him from foolish talk against his neighbor.

61、「但是我告訴你」上帝說，「要愛你們的仇敵，要好待那恨惡你們的，要為那逼迫你們的祈禱。」
為什麼上帝下了這樣的命令？
因為他能夠讓你從憎恨、悲傷、忿怒、嫉妒中解脫出來，也可以賜予你最高的財富，也就是圓滿的愛，
除非一個人可以效法上帝，平等地愛所有的人，否則是不可能得到這個財富的，
上帝平等地愛著所有人，並且希望他們得救，並且通達真理的知識。」
61. "But I say to you," the Lord says, "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you." Why did he command these things? So that he might free you from hate, sadness, anger, and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one who loves all men equally in imitation of God, who loves all men equally and "wills that they be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. "

62、「我卻對你們說：不要抵抗惡人；而且，若有人掌擊你的右頰，你把另一面也轉給 他。」
為什麼是如此呢？
因為，如果你能讓自己超然於嗔恨與悲傷， 以安忍心引導對方，就能以「愛」的軛，牽引彼此走向上帝的至善。
62. "But I tell you to resist evil, but should anyone strike you on the right cheek turn the other to him as well. And if anyone wants to go to court with you and take your tunic, offer him your coat as well; and if one forces you to go one mile, go two with him." Why is this? To keep you free from anger and sadness and to instruct him through your forbearance and to bring you both in his goodness, under the yoke of his love.

63、那些曾經歷過的事，總是在我們心中留下情欲的影像，讓我們緊抓著不放。
一個人如果可以徹底地克服這些情欲的影像，就能鄙棄那些不真實的想像。
事實上，這場記憶的戰鬥，遠比行為的戰鬥還要困難；思想上的罪，遠比行為上的罪來得容易。
63. We carry along with us the voluptuous images of the things we once experienced. Now the one who overcomes these voluptuous images completely disdains the realities of which they are images. In fact, the battle against memories is more difficult than the battle against deeds, as sinning in thought is easier than sinning in deed.

64、在所有情欲當中，有些屬於肉身，有些則屬於靈魂。
那些屬於肉身的情欲，源於身體本身。
那些靈魂的情欲，則起於外境。
愛與自律，將前者與後者所說的肉身與靈魂的情欲全都斷絕。
64. Some of the passions are of the body, some of the soul. Those of the body take their origin in the body; those of the soul from exterior things. Love and self-control cut away both of them, the former those of the soul, the latter those of the body.

65、有一些人的情欲屬於嗔恚，有一些則屬於貪欲。
兩者都是起於感官；
一但人的靈魂處失去了愛，或者失去了自我控制，這些情欲就會被牽動。
65. Some of the passions belong to the irascible, some to the concupiscible part of the soul. Both are moved by means of the senses; and they are moved whenever the soul is found outside of love and self-control.

66、在我們的靈魂當中，嗔心才是最難對抗的部份，它比身體所引起的情欲更難以克服。
因此，上主給了我們更好的對策，就是：愛的誡命。
66. It happens that the passions of the irascible part of the soul are harder to combat than those of the concupiscible. Thus it is that a better remedy for it was given by the Lord: the commandment of love.

67、所有的情欲之中，總離不開嗔恚與貪欲， 甚至是理智，例如：健忘或無知。
然而，如果你領會了靈魂所有的力量，你就會發現，這些情欲幾乎都是由懶散所造成的。
由此可知，懶散是所有情欲當中最麻煩的。
上帝也曾教導我們，如何才能治療懶散：「你們務要用你們的堅忍，來擁有住你們的真性命。」
67. All the other passions lay hold of either the irascible or the concupiscible part of the soul only, or even of the rational part, as forgetfulness or ignorance. But sloth, by grasping onto all the soul's powers, excites nearly all of them together. In this way it is the most troublesome of all the passions. Well, then, did the Lord tell us in giving the remedy against it, "In your patience possess your souls."

68、 對待兄弟們時，絕對不可以拳頭相向，尤其是在毫無理由的狀況下出拳，
否則有一天，他一定會無法忍受這樣的考驗而離去。
你將永遠無法躲避良心的譴責，在祈禱的時候，你也會感到傷痛，並且失去與上帝的親密感。
68. Never strike any of the brothers, especially not without reason, lest sometime he not endure the trial and go away. For then you will never escape the reproof of your conscience, always bringing you sadness in the time of prayer and excluding your mind from familiarity with God.

69、不可縱容「懷疑心」的滋長，也不該縱容別人向你散佈他人的醜聞。
因為那些散佈者，總是有意或無意地在任何事情中製造流言流語。
他們不懂「和平之道」，也不懂唯有透過和平與愛，才能為那些渴望上帝的人，帶來上帝的知識。
69. Do not tolerate suspicions or people that would be occasions of scandal for you against anyone. For those who take scandal in any way from things which happen, intentionally or unintentionally, do not know the way of peace, which through love brings those who long for it to the knowledge of God.

70、 如果一個人依然受到人類價值的左右，就不算是擁有圓滿的愛。
就好像某人因某個理由而愛一個人、恨另一個人，或者，某人因某個理由先愛上一個 人，而後又轉而恨他一樣。
70. The one who is still affected by human judgments does not yet have perfect love, as for example when he loves one and hates another for one reason or another; or even when he loves and then hates the same person for the same reasons.

71、圓滿的愛，不會依據人類不同的性情，而分裂人類合一的本性。
圓滿的愛，會持續關注這個合一的本性，無論面對的人是熱情如友，或生疏如敵，都會給予對方平等的愛。
圓滿的愛是對所有人友善，推崇他人的善行。
圓滿的愛不會將惡念加諸於別人身上，不僅如此，如果情勢所需，還會自願為對方受苦，並且盡量與人為友。
就算對方不領情，也絕對不會改變初衷，仍然會以平等心，向每個人展現愛的果實。
就好像我們的主、我們的上帝，耶穌基督一樣，對我們展現他的愛， 為所有人類受苦，
平等地賜給每個人復活的希望，讓每個人配得上榮耀或者甘願受罰。
71. Perfect love does not split up the one nature of men on the basis of their various dispositions but ever looking steadfastly at it, it loves all men equally, those who are zealous as friends, those who are negligent as enemies. It is good to them and forbearing and puts up with what they do. It does not think evil at all but rather suffers for them, if occasion requires, in order that it may even make them friends if possible. If not, it does not fall away from its own intentions as it ever manifests the fruits of love equally for all men. In this way also our Lord and God Jesus Christ, manifesting his love for us, suffered for all mankind and granted to all equally the hope of resurrection, though each one renders himself worthy either of glory or of punishment.

72、 一個人在面對毀、譽、富、貧、樂、苦時都不動心，還不能算是擁有真正圓滿的愛。
因為，一個人如果擁有真正圓滿的愛，他除了面對毀、譽、富、 貧、樂、苦不動心之外，面對無常的生、死也不會動心。
72. The one who does not disdain glory and dishonor, riches and poverty, pleasure and pain, does not yet possess perfect love. For perfect love disdains not only these things but also this very transitory life and death.

73、聽聽那些表現出神聖的愛而高貴的人是怎麼說的：
「誰能使我們和基督的愛隔絕呢？難道是苦難嗎？是困迫嗎？是逼迫嗎？是饑餓嗎？是赤身嗎？是危險嗎？是刀劍嗎？
是像經上所記：我們為你的緣故，終日被處死，看為將被屠宰的羊嗎？
不：在這一切事上，我們藉著那愛了我們的，倒是得勝有餘了。
因為我深信，無論是死，是活，是天使，是眾執政的，是現在的事，是將來的事，是一切有權能的，是高處，是低處，
或是任何別的被創造之物，都不能使我們跟上帝的愛，那在我們主基督耶穌裡的愛，隔絕。」
任何人如果能說出這樣的話，並且行了這上帝的愛，就是聖徒了。
73. Listen to what those who have been rendered worthy of divine love have to say: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? As it is written, 'for your sake are we put to death the whole day long.' We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. But in all these things we more than overcome through the one who has loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." All who say and do this concerning the love of God are saints.

74、當我們思及對兄弟同胞的愛時，讓我們再聽一次他們的說法：
「我在基督內說實話，並不說謊，有我的良心在聖神內與我一同作證：我的憂愁極大，我心中不斷的痛苦；
為救我的弟兄，我血統的同胞，就是被詛咒，與基督隔絕，我也甘心情願。」（羅馬書9：1）
摩西與其他的聖徒也曾經如此說。
74. And concerning love of neighbor, listen again to what they say: "I speak the truth in Christ; I do not lie, and my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit. I have great sadness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I would wish to be anathema myself from Christ for my brethren who are my kinsmen according to the flesh and Israelites." And similarly Moses and other saints.

75、一個無法鄙棄光榮與歡愉，一心想要增長自身名利，做事貪求回報的人，絕對無法獲得斷除嗔心的機會。
如果一個人無法斷除嗔心，就無法達到圓滿的愛。
75. The one who does not disdain glory and pleasure and greed which increases them and which is in turn produced by them cannot cut away the occasions of anger. And the one who does not cut them away cannot attain perfect love.